Entity
by Ethereal Fae
Summary: AU. The first encounter I had with a ghost, I was probably seven years old, and extremely naïve. But,here I am, nine years later; still seeing apparitions. Except these days I was doing more than just seeing them, I was helping them. AnzuAtem. AnzuYuugi.
1. I See You

Disclaimer: Neither Yugioh nor Ghost Whisperer belong to me.

Author's Note: No, I've never read Meg Cabot's _Mediator_. This story was partly inspired by the television show, Ghost Whisperer, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt- love her! - And very minimally inspired by a fanfic I read that _was_ inspired by _Mediator_. So any parallels with that book in my story are accidental, coincidental, or both. To be honest, I'm not even sure what's going to become of this story- it may not ever be finished, seeing as I'm making this up as I go; but it's been nagging at me to be written and lo and behold I listened. I know, I know, I have other stories that need updating, but I can't control my ever-buzzing imagination. I blame the plot bunnies; they've been very bouncy lately. This may have also spawned from a story I had written back in 2005, and it will never see the light of day, so don't ask.

Now that I've said my peace, tell me what you think.

Edit: Oops, I was thinking 1900s and put 19th century instead of 20th. It's fixed now.

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**1. I See You**

_© Ethereal Fae, November 2008_

* * *

The first encounter I had with a ghost, I was probably seven years old, and extremely naïve.

I was sprawled out on my bed- having just come home from ballet lessons- and was ready to take a nap. I had just begun to close my tired eyes, when something moved in my peripheral vision. Without hesitation, I glanced to the foot of my bed. There sat a disheartened teenager, clad in slacks and penny loafers. He jumped slightly when our eyes locked.

I waved. "Hi."

He freaked out, and vanished into thin air.

I told my mother about the strange boy, even down to the fine details of what he wore and how he was completely transparent. Mom was understandably distraught. At first, she thought I had watched some horror movie with my dad, and yelled at him for influencing a child's active imagination with 'such volatile images'. Then she slipped into denial, brushing the entire situation off like it hadn't even happened. I bugged her about it again, after waking up one morning to find the strange boy leaning over me, eyes blank, but curious.

Mom threatened to send me to a psychiatrist if I didn't stop telling tall-tales, so eventually I just stopped talking about it.

I think Mom- underneath it all- was afraid because she might actually believe me.

So, here I am, nine years later; still seeing apparitions. Except these days I was doing more than just seeing them, I was _helping_ them. I'd learned after a very interesting encounter with a hysteric, middle-aged woman-spirit that some ghosts didn't quite know what had happened to them. That's where I came in. I took the liberty of helping these poor, lost souls find closure enough that they could move on peacefully. Some were easier than others. Ghosts- despite popular belief- weren't generally vehement when it came to moving on, simply because most of them already knew they were dead. I did have a few unnerving instances with volatile poltergeists. Mom didn't let us stick around long enough for me to help them. After her coffee mug had smashed itself into the wall one evening, she immediately began packing our stuff and practically dragged Dad and I out the door.

We moved several times through the course of my childhood. Mom did her best to find us newer houses that wouldn't be likely to warrant any unwanted visitors in the middle of the night. Because of this, it was especially difficult to start friendships. I was never really close to anyone because once they had been to my house they refused to speak to me thereafter, spreading stories about 'the girl with the creepy house'. I got used to it. I wouldn't want to be around a haunted house either if I were them.

But I wasn't them. I was me; your average, girl-next-door, who just so happened to see dead people.

It was cliché in every sense of the word, but it was my life.

I'm just taking it one day at a time. I'm Anzu Mazaki, the freak who talks to no one in particular, and even an occasional wall.

If they only knew.

* * *

"Please tell me we're not moving to some dumpy apartment like last time?"

Mom gripped the wheel of her run-down truck a little tighter than need be. "We're moving to a lovely little house on the edge of Domino. It's beautiful, and elegant, and..."

"Don't forget it was built in 1907."

I shot Dad a look. "1907? What are you trying to do, drive me crazy? The apartment was only built thirty years ago, and it was loaded with ghosts!" Mom winced; she still had trouble dealing with the 'g' word.

"Relax, Himeko. Everything's going to be fine." He patted her hand for reassurance.

Mom lessened her grip on the steering wheel, but was neither convinced nor comforted. She knew half as well as I did that things were never going to be just 'fine' with us. There were always going to be things following us, like moths to a flame.

Come to think of it, for some reason they _did_ flock to me. It was strange, and continually annoying. They always popped up at the most unwarranted times, too. They seemed especially fond of bothering me while I was in the shower. Stupid, see-through apparitions...

Mom turned to the left. I stared indifferently out the window, watching the people, buildings and houses buzz by in a whir of colours. Kame Game Shop, Suki's Floral, Burger World, and then the buildings became sparser and houses were further apart. When I felt the car's momentum slowing, I refocused on the outside world. We were driving down a road surrounded by greenery to an old side road.

We had reached our new home, in Domino-it was a suburb of Tokyo, my last place of residence- and Dad had been given a great opportunity to work in conjunction with the CEO of KaibaCorp. Dad was a full-blown technology geek, right down to the embarrassing square-framed glasses and multiple-pens-in-pocket look, so he was ecstatic to be able to help with the maintenance of Seto Kaiba's major duelling equipment.

I got out of Mom's decrepit old truck, and towed the bags I had with me to the porch while Dad handled the stuff in the back. Mom and Dad had taken the liberty of shipping all our furniture here beforehand, so pretty much everything was already in place, save for the everyday necessities.

Mom was right about the house. It _was_ gorgeous. It was definitely an old house, if the architecture was anything to go by. It definitely had the 20th century feel, complete with turrets and a two-level foundation. The house itself was a canary yellow with white accents. I nodded, pleased with its appearance. I had been fascinated with the 20th century since my encounter with a ghost who could neither find nor remember her home.

I had investigated on the internet and found her information from what little she did remember. She was a preacher's daughter in the United States (how the heck had she gotten to Japan?) and since I couldn't very well up sticks and head for the Gold Nation all willy-nilly, I instead found a picture of her home on an ancestral website. The picture was provided by a descendant of the girl's sister; she must have found peace at seeing her home, because I never saw her again.

I made my way up the steps and set my things down in the den. Wow, we had a den. I had forgotten how big these houses were. Mom and Dad came in shortly after, and Dad let a low whistle escape his lips.

"You sure know how to pick 'em, Dear." He hugged Mom close.

She pushed feathered, brown bangs out of her face. "I did my best."

The interior was cozy, with rich woods and bright colors- probably recently painted- and was a nice compliment to our little less than expensive furnishings. Mom's grand piano was already situated in the centre of the den, which was seperated from the kitchen by the hall we were walking into. The kitchen was spacious and cheery. Mom smiled at this; she needed cheery.

I was suddenly excited to find my room, and bounded up the stairs. To my delight, my stuff was arranged in the first room on the right. To my even bigger delight, I had a bay window that overlooked the expanse of land we were on, and giving a perfect sunset view. This was probably the best room I'd had in years. I grinned childishly and flopped on the queen-sized bed in the middle of the room.

A deep chuckle echoed in the room.

My ears perked at the very masculine voice that in no way could've belonged to my father. I lifted my head off the pillow, glancing around the room for any disturbances, and found the source of the laughter. A ghostly figure leaned against the wall by the door. His arms were calmly crossed in front of him, legs crossed at the ankles. He stared intently at me, eyes a little wider after I hadn't looked away.

"Can I help you?" I asked, irritated that my good mood was ruined by another ghostly companion.

His composure shattered for an instant before he quickly regained it. Ghosts usually had that reaction around me, so it didn't really faze me. He didn't answer me; he just continued with that penetrating stare.

He must have thought it wasn't him I was referring to. Idiot. Who else was in the room?

I had to admit he wasn't half bad looking, for a dead guy. Most dead guys had a bullet wound, scarring or something to indicate an untimely death that would give reason for them not moving on, but this guy seemed completely unscathed; except for maybe the bad attitude. He had unusual eyes-the colour of rubies- and angular, golden bangs that framed his chiselled features with a black and red mass of hair in the back to complete the oddity of his appearance. It suited him, I guess, and he looked to be about my age; give or take a year or two. His attire was 20th century slacks with a button-down shirt, jacket, and boots. I wouldn't have recognized the era had I not met so many from this century. I met a lot of Great Depressionists. In Japan. Go figure.

But good looks wouldn't get him a free ticket to roam my room whenever he pleased. This was _my_ house after all, and I wasn't about to have Mom drag us to another town when we just settled in.

"Hel-_lo_! Are you deaf or just stupid? What are you doing in my room?" I sat up, laying my head in my hand and leaning against my knee. My bangs fell into my eyes and I puffed them out of my face.

Instead of answering the question, he glared vehemently at me saying, "This is _my_ room," before disappearing.

Great, he was going to be one of _those_ ghosts. Just peachy.

* * *

**Tbc.**

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_Well, what do you think? Should I continue this? I hope it's not too horrible. I just kind of ran with it. Leave me a review please?_


	2. Curious

Disclaimer: Don't own. My life is empty now, thanks.

Author's Note: Wow! You guys are awesome! Thanks to everyone for the wonderful and encouraging feedback, it's so appreciated! Here's an update!

Warnings: Some of the canon characters may not be friends in here. Hope I didn't burst any bubbles.

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**2. Curious**

_© Ethereal Fae, November 2008_

* * *

_Thump._

My eyes fluttered open, reaching lazily to the nightstand to grab my alarm clock. I blinked warily as I tried to read the numbers through sleep-trodden eyes.

**3:46 a.m. **

_Thump._

My eyes snapped awake as I felt the alertness seep through my body. Lifting myself into a sitting position, I waited for another sound, but nothing happened. I fell back against the pillow, making a mental note to track down my annoying ethereal companion in the morning and (very quickly) send him packing into the afterlife.

I was almost asleep when my Pointe shoes- which had been hung delicately on the wall beside my desk- decided to throw themselves at me, just barely missing my head and making a loud _Smack!_ as they hit the headboard.

I threw the covers off of my body with so much force they fell to the floor in a heap of cotton fabric. I sat rigid in my bed, eyes darting to every dark corner in the room. My eyes became accustomed to the darkness, eventually, but I couldn't find the pesky _thing _anywhere.

"Looking for something?"

My head whipped in the direction of the haunting voice. I eyed the figure suspiciously, eyebrow raised in question. He was perched precariously atop my headboard, arms crossed and still giving me that empty stare.

"Oh, it's you." I said, dismissing him completely and grabbing the covers off the floor. I had to get ready for school in three hours, there was no way I was letting some pompous dead guy keep me awake.

He grunted indignantly as he watched. He seemed a little put out by my reaction; most ghosts were. I didn't scare easily anymore.

"I thought I made myself very clear. This is _my _room."

I rolled my eyes. _'Here we go.'_ Pulling the covers over my lap, I turned to address him. "Look, I'm willing to ignore the fact that you so rudely woke me up, if you at least tell me who the heck you think you are?"

He seemed to ponder this for a moment before replying, "My name is Atem."

"A...tem." I let the name roll off my tongue. It definitely wasn't Japanese. He nodded, pleased that I seemed to be having difficulty pronouncing his name.

I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "That's not Japanese."

"No, it isn't." He said, tersely.

I levelled my gaze at him. "Care to elaborate?"

His stare was still as vicious. "No."

I growled, completely irritated. I rubbed at my eyes with the heel of my palm, and glared at him. "Fine, then. Be difficult. I'm going back to bed."

He didn't answer; he just kept staring at me, the moonlight from the window reflecting off his transparent, ruby eyes.

I angrily grabbed my Pointe shoes, and tossed them on the floor. "Touch my shoes again, and I'll exercise you." I flopped into my pillow, sleep taking me instantly.

"I'd like to see you try."

* * *

"Anzu! Anzu, honey; wake up!"

My eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the morning light streaming in through the blinds. "Wha?"

My mother looked into my eyes, shaking me. "Anzu, it's seven-thirty. You're going to be late!"

I sat up abruptly, grabbing my clock off the nightstand. I glared angrily when I saw the alarm had been turned off. _'Jerk. Now I'm going to be late!'_

My mother grabbed the clock impatiently from my hands. "Anzu, get going."

I blinked. "Right."

I hopped out of bed and ran for the bathroom, throwing my clothes on the floor and stepping into the shower. I turned the water on cold, letting my head fall back underneath the waterfall. I made it quick, glad that at least the ghost- er, Atem- didn't make an unnecessary appearance. Jumping out of the shower, I hastily wrapped a towel around me and ran back into my room, throwing my closet door open and grabbing the mandatory uniform from its place on the hanger. I was dressed and running down the stairs in less than ten minutes, hair dry and a little mascara on. I took the steps two at a time, and greeted my parents in a rush as I grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl, my backpack off the counter, and ran out the door to my bike.

I was like a bat out of hell by the time I had gotten far enough into town that I could see the school. I kept pedalling down the busy sidewalks, receiving a few glares as I sped past a few suit-clad adults. I didn't bother with an apology; I was late enough as it was. Formalities could kiss my shoes until I got to school. I finally made it, my lungs straining for air as I ran viciously through the halls to the Main Office.

When I burst through the door at the first warning bell, the lady at the front desk jumped fearfully.

I braced myself against the desk, inhaling deeply. "I'm- I'm Anzu...Mazaki. I'm new...here."

The woman smiled knowingly, adjusting the red glasses atop her pointed nose, and shuffled through some papers before handing me my schedule, a slip of paper, a map, and a copy of the school's handbook.

"Bring this paper back with your teachers' signatures on it at the end of the day. My name is Mrs. Chinatsu, if you need anything. Have a good day, Miss Mazaki." She said as I left a little more quietly out the door.

Well, now that that was out of the way, I could focus on finding my class for the next five minutes before the final bell rang. I quickly scanned over my schedule and then glanced over the map as I walked down the halls.

"First period, Maths with Mr. Daisuke...Second period, English with Mrs. Kaori...where the heck is room 2-B?"

"You must be new here."

For about the third time that day, I jumped. I turned around quickly to be met with wide, amethyst eyes complimented by a cherubic face, angular bangs and a mass of a black and red hair to complete the oddity of his appearance...

Why was this so familiar? _'Oh. Atem.'_

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ears. "Yeah, I just moved here."

He seemed sweet, but honestly, he didn't look much older than a First Year student. He was too innocent, too childlike to be in high school.

"My name's Yuugi." He said, bowing slightly.

"Anzu. Anzu Mazaki. It's nice to meet you." I watched as he glanced at my schedule. His eyes lit up as he read something.

"Hey, we have Maths together!" He smiled brightly at me. I could get used to this kid, his cheerful demeanour was contagious. I smiled back.

Just then, the bell decided to ring loudly across the campus.

"Oh! We're late, come on!" He said, grabbing my wrist and guiding me with speed down the hall and to the left to the second door in the hall.

A thin, studious man was waiting by the door. He smiled, though it was a bit forced as we ran up to him. Yuugi put on a bright smile, and if I hadn't known any better I thought it would've blinded the old man.

"I'm sorry we're late, Mr. Daisuke. I ran into our new student."

He patted Yuugi's shoulder and let us inside. "Quite all right, Yuugi. Just don't let it happen again." He said, shutting the door behind us.

Yuugi took his seat at the back of the class, greeting another boy who seemed to be overly quiet. He was pale, with alabaster skin and an unruly mess of white hair. His eyes locked on mine for a moment. They were a chocolate brown. I nodded at him, and he smiled lightly before turning back to the conversation he was having with Yuugi.

I was about to take one of the empty desks when Mr. Daisuke laid a gentle hand on my shoulder and cleared his throat. The class stilled. _'Oh geez.'_

"Class, we have a new student today. This is Miss Anzu Mazaki, so please help her feel welcomed here."

There were a few curious stares as I made my way to an empty desk in the front row. After I had settled into my desk, Mr. Daisuke began the lesson. It was pretty simple; I had already gone over graphing inequalities in my old school. So instead of taking notes, I doodled in my notebook, occasionally glancing around the room. My eyes rested uninterestedly on my desk. There were several scratched words in the desk, and I had to inwardly laugh. Some things were quite vulgar.

Eventually the bell rang, and I waved goodbye to Yuugi before heading off to English with Mrs. Kaori. I didn't have Yuugi in this class, but I managed to make it through the period making small talk with a Jounouchi Katsuya. He was clumsy and a loudmouth, but he kept me entertained enough that I didn't fall asleep.

By the time lunch had rolled around, I was desperately hungry for food. That apple this morning had done nothing to sate my hunger. I walked briskly into the crowded cafeteria and got my lunch.

I watched different tables in curiosity. Everyone seemed to have their own little cliques. I felt out of place, like I always did around people who weren't actually dead. I scanned the cafeteria, my eyes finally resting on a hand waving frantically from a table at the far right of the room.

"Anzu! Over here!" Yuugi called.

I walked over to him, noticing that the boy with brown eyes was seated with him as well. I nervously sat down. "Thanks, Yuugi. I thought I was going to have to sit by myself."

He grinned. "No problem." He then remembered I hadn't been properly introduced to his friend. "Oh! Anzu, this is Ryou Bakura."

I gave a small 'hello' which he returned with a slight wave and a smile. Ryou then looked at Yuugi while picking at the rice in his homemade bento box. "So, Yuugi, how was your weekend?"

Yuugi stuffed a slice of meat I couldn't decipher into his mouth. How could he eat that? "Oh, the usual; I helped Grandpa around the game shop, put some new booster packs on display." He suddenly made a face. "Yuck! I think this meat went bad."

Ryou laughed musically. "I offered to bring you a bento box, but you didn't listen."

Yuugi's face scrunched up. "Well, remind me to take you up on that offer tomorrow." He immediately took his tray and dumped the rest of the contents into the trash can at the end of the table.

I nibbled on some dry rice from my own tray, but like Yuugi, my face contorted in disgust and I eventually discarded the tray. My stomach protested loudly.

Ryou raised a brow. "Would you like some of my steamed pork? My father made it. I'm sure it's a million times better than the cardboard you just ate."

I raised my hands in protest. "Oh, I couldn't..."

"Here, it's no trouble. Really." He passed me some pork in a cup from his soup canister. I nibbled on it, and found it was extremely delicious. I wolfed it down with much enthusiasm, making the two boys laugh.

"Hey, how come she gets free food?" Yuugi pouted. That seemed to be a very dangerous thing. His face looked so pitiful I would've given him the rest of my share had Ryou not jabbed him with the end of his chopsticks.

"You aren't new. Anzu - at least - needs a good meal on her first day." He grinned wickedly at me then, which kind of startled me. "Tomorrow, however, you're on your own." He laughed at my perplexed expression.

We continued like this until the bell rang to go to class, laughing and talking like we had known each other for years. It was a nice change from being a loner to suddenly having two really nice friends. I didn't know how long it would last, though. Once they found out about my gift, things would probably take a turn for the worst. I didn't like to think about it.

As we filed out of the cafeteria, a shadow suddenly passed my peripheral vision. _Of course_, there was always _something_ lurking in the background. I glanced around the empty cafeteria, realizing it was getting a little too quiet, even for a vacant cafeteria.

I was about to leave when a spirit jumped in front of me.

"Boo."

"Geez!" I clutched the area over my heart, feeling it pound with adrenaline. Why did they always do that?!

The spirit chuckled darkly. "You can see me."

I glared at the transparent male. "Doi. Is there something you want? I have class."

He began to circle me, and I got the sudden feeling this was not a friendly entity. "You're spunky; I like that."

This guy must've died of the crazies. He was really starting to make my skin crawl, which was a rare occurrence. There was something eerily familiar about him. The tan face, the unruly white hair, the cold brown eyes...

He looked like Ryou. I gulped. _'But he is most definitely not Ryou Bakura.' _

"Um, I really should go to class." I simply walked- well, ran- right through him and scurried out the door. I could faintly hear him laughing as I made my exit.

I had to find out more information about this school.

* * *

My Biology teacher, Mrs. Setsuko, wasn't happy when I arrived late to class. She let it slide for today though, since it was my first day. I thanked her graciously and made my way to one of the lab tables. Luckily I had Yuugi in this class, so I was certain I'd get to ask him some questions.

Our teacher gave us an assignment to research a biome and write a one-page report by tomorrow, so that gave me the time I needed to investigate. I looked at Yuugi, waiting for him to put his things away.

"Yuugi, what do you know about the school's history?"

He seemed amused by my question, but answered nevertheless. "That's an unusual question; most kids could care less about our school. At any rate, I know it was originally built in the early nineteen-hundreds, but it burned down. This one was built over the remaining foundation."

That explained a lot. Ryou's apparent doppelganger seemed to sport the same garments that Atem wore. Maybe they knew each other.

"Oh. How did it burn down?" I asked, curiosity claiming me.

"I've heard everything from a lab explosion to someone locking the students inside and burning them alive. Kind of gruesome, huh?" He laughed lightly, to lift the mood.

I frowned. "Yeah." Something told me it wasn't far from the truth.

* * *

At the end of the day, I returned to the Main Office, with a quieter entrance; handing Mrs. Chinatsu the slip of paper with the teachers' signatures on it. She waved me off with a cheery smile.

The bike ride home was definitely more peaceful, and I was glad when I finally pulled into the driveway. I made my way up the steps and through the door hurriedly.

"Mom, I'm home!"

I took my shoes off and placed them by the door along with my backpack.

"In here, honey!" She called from the kitchen.

I walked to where she was positioned by the oven, pulling out a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies; my favourite. The smell wafted through the air, making my mouth water in delight.

"Mmm. They smell delicious, Mom. What's the occasion?" I said, sitting myself at the bar.

"I just thought you might like a snack." She smiled. "How was your day?"

"It was good. I met a couple of guys who adopted me as their new friend." I laughed.

She smiled thoughtfully. "That's good, dear." Her face seemed to falter after a moment, her voice becoming soft as she spoke. "Did you have any...problems...today?"

"No." I lied. I knew I shouldn't have, but I really liked my new friends, and Mom would be packing as soon as she found out.

She seemed to be relieved by my statement, coming to kiss the top of my head before washing the dishes. "Good; that's very good."

I smiled weakly, excusing myself to my room- but, not before taking a cookie or two. I closed the door behind me, opting to check my mail on the computer while listening to some music. While going through various forwards, and deleting endless amounts of spam, I felt a cold touch on my left shoulder. I hissed, turning around to face Atem.

"Let me guess," I snapped, "I'm in your room."

"Actually, I was curious about the contraption your eyes seem to be glued to." He was completely serious, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You mean the computer?" I stifled my laughter when he glared at me.

"Com...pu...ter?" He fumbled over the word, and I couldn't help but think of a child learning a new word. It was just so uncharacteristic to the, thus far, angry spectral entity.

"Yes, computer; it's modern technology."

He seemed fine with the answer and nodded, walking back to sit on the edge of my bed.

I watched him with careful curiosity. He seemed to be thinking before he asked, "You want to know something." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah." I said quietly. "What's your story?"

* * *

**tbc**

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_Oh my God! This is the longest entry ever in my entire archive of chapters. I don't think I've ever gone farther than five pages for a chapter and this was eight! I'm so proud of myself. :D Reviews would be lovely!_


	3. Tell Me More

Disclaimer: Stupid little disclaimer...obviously it's not mine.

Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews, guys! It's greatly appreciated and I'm glad to see so many interested in this story. I don't think I would've continued without such wonderful feedback. You've made my day!

I'll be honest, this update will probably stink. I've been dealing with a respiratory infection for the past few days, so I've been writing this off and on between my lethargic intervals. Nyquil is my new friend, and since speech is impossible, I've been pretty much mute to everybody. I think my parents forgot they had a kid. Ha, not really.

So be honest if it stinks, because I'll want to know so I can rewrite it. Sorry in advance for any grammatical/spelling errors. I have a crappy spellchecker that sometimes doesn't catch things, and my eyes are too unfocused now to catch things. So, let me know.

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**3. Tell Me More**

_© Ethereal Fae, November 2008_

* * *

"Excuse me?"

Atem seemed to be utterly confused by my question, which had me questioning his intelligence.

I waved my hand in the air as I replied, "What's your story? Where you lived, who your parents were?"

"Oh."

I waited impatiently for him to continue, and huffed loudly when he didn't. "Today, please."

"Why should I disclose any information to you? I don't even know you." His eyes narrowed.

I rolled my eyes, deciding that he was- indeed- dumb as a post and rolled my chair closer to the bed. "My name's Anzu Mazaki. I'm 5'5, and I've been in dance since I could walk. Oh, and I talk to dead people." I gave him a rueful smirk. "There, now you know me."

He scoffed. "That was hardly an autobiography."

I pulled at my hair, cerulean eyes darkening in frustration. "Look, I don't have time for this. Could you please just tell me your life story before I find the resolve to exercise you?"

His fists clenched and I immediately regretted opening my mouth, but instead of releasing ninety-odd years of pent up anger at me, he sighed heavily.

"What is it you wish to know?"

I thought for a moment. "Anything you feel comfortable telling me."

I wasn't exactly sure what I would get out of him. He was being increasingly difficult, despite my efforts at being polite. Well, as polite as I could manage, given the fact he wasn't being very considerate either. I was slightly surprised when he opened his mouth to reply.

"I was born in 1915, to a Japanese father and Egyptian mother. My father was an archaeologist working in Egypt; that's how they met."

"So, is that where you're name comes from; your mother's heritage?" I asked curiously.

He nodded. _'So, he's partly Egyptian. I thought I heard a bit of an accent.'_

"That's cool." I smiled. I saw the faintest lift in the corner of his mouth, but no real smile. That was okay, I'd get one out of him eventually.

"Anything else?" He asked in a bored tone.

I thought for a moment, grasping at straws for something deep and well thought out; something that wouldn't hit a sore spot...

"How did you die?"

His face became pained and I mentally smacked myself. _'Smooth, Mazaki; real smooth.' _He played with the cobweb fabric of his shirt sleeves, conflict gracing his already hardened expression.

"You don't have to—"

"There was a fire." He said, staring at the carpet.

"Wait, a fire?" I asked, eyes widening when he nodded slightly. If it was a fire, then maybe he _did_ know this other entity; maybe they went to school together.

"I take it you heard about your school?" He asked, eyes blank with nostalgia.

I gasped. "So the rumours are true then? Students were locked in?"

His nose scrunched up irritably. "What? No, of course not. It's just...there was so much chaos from the fire; most of the students couldn't make it out in time. I was one of the unlucky saps."

I went to grab his shoulder, but felt embarrassed when it merely fell through and hit the bed. I knew he wasn't solid and yet it didn't stop me from wanting to comfort him. Despite his aloofness before, I realized it wasn't because he initially hated me, but that he was hurting. He'd missed out on all the great things life could offer. It made me feel foolish for ever complaining about _my_ life.

"So," I looked meekly at him, picking at the already chipped pink nail polish on my fingers, as I moved to sit beside him, "When did it happen?"

"1934. I was seventeen." A year older than me.

I shifted nervously. If I was going to find out anything about the new ghost, I had to ask while Atem was still open with me.

"How did this fire happen, or do you remember?"

He laughed starkly. "I only knew what had happened after I found out I was dead. Apparently overheated steam pipes ignited nearby wood joists. The fire spread quickly and sent all of us into such a panic, we couldn't stay calm long enough to get out the doors. We kept pushing and pulling, but half of us couldn't make it out the doors in time. Most of us were dead – including me – before the flames even reached us; smoke inhalation, I guess."

I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. "That's awful."

He gave another bitter laugh. "Tell me about it."

I had to think of some way to bring up the phantom from this morning. Perhaps I could help him too, if I knew more about him. He didn't seem the friendly, open type, so Atem was my best bet.

"Did you know anyone in particular that died?"

Atem gave me a curious look. "Why do you ask? Did you have an encounter at school? I'm sure you must've run into at least one while you were there."

I nodded. "I did. Although, I'm not exactly sure what to make of him. He kind of made me feel on edge."

Atem seemed to ponder this for a moment. "What did he look like?"

I kicked at the plush, beige carpet. "Well, let's see. He had a mop of white hair- well, it looked white to me- and cold, brown eyes. He was a little tan, too."

"Bakura."

"Gesundheit."

Atem narrowed his eyes at me. "I mean his _name_is Bakura."

I blinked. His name was the same as Ryou's last name? Could Ryou be a descendant?

"Well," Atem continued, "It's his last name anyways. He never let anyone know his first name. He said it was stupid or something of the sort."

"So you knew him then?" I said, getting up to push my chair back to the computer. I wanted to see if I could find anything on either of these spirits.

"Briefly. He wasn't exactly someone to hang out with. He was a hooligan from the beginning; always getting into trouble. I guess the rebellious behaviour started when his mother died. Other than that, I know very little of him."

"Any reason why he would stick around the school?" I asked, distracted as my hands flew over the keyboard.

"Not that I would know. That's something you would have to ask him."

"Peachy. While I'm on here, is there anything else you'd like to tell me about yourself? Like a last name, maybe?"

"My last name is Motou. No doubt you've heard of it." He seemed to be unfazed when my hands stilled over the keys.

I turned from the monitor. "Yeah. How did you know?"

He seemed bored, like he had been asked this a million times. Then again, maybe he had.

"My mother had another son- my brother- after my death. He carried on the Motou line, eventually leading to the Motou you met today; Yuugi."

I blinked, giving him my undivided attention now. "Wait, how did you know I met Yuugi? Have you been spying on me?"

He smirked, a fatal gesture. I felt the heat suffuse my cheeks. Just what I needed; a stalker ghost.

"No, I merely went to school to see what had changed. Clearly the school hasn't seen a good waxing in decades. I overheard Yuugi introduce himself to you as I was exploring."

I felt a little foolish assuming Atem would follow me around like a puppy; not that I wanted that or anything. "Oh. So, you must have heard about Ryou too, then?"

Atem waved a hand airily. "Vaguely. Do you think he might be a descendant?"

I thought about this, turning back to the computer screen. "I'm ... not sure."

I typed in a web address into the browser, waiting anxiously for the page to load. When it did I typed in 'Atem Motou' in the name box.

"What are you doing?"

I jumped, feeling the unexpected cold air on the shell of my ear. Atem was leaning inquisitively over my shoulder, soaking the information on the screen in like a sponge. _'A very attractive sponge, even if dead.'_

I heard the metaphorical brakes in my conscious squeal. What had I just been thinking? Atem? Attractive? Oh for the love of...this wasn't happening! It was the hormones, it had to be. That, and maybe the fact that I was at the stage in my life where- like most teenage girls- I was interested in dangerous things.

"Um," What was I doing? Oh, right. Ancestry. " I was going to see if I could find any documents on you in the Ancestry database."

"You probably won't find much. The Clerk's office that held most of the older records burned in 1956. So, chances of finding anything before that time are slim to none." He said wistfully.

"Geez! What didn't burn down in Domino?"

"Um..this house...and maybe a few..."

"Atem." I looked up at him, irritated. "I was being sarcastic."

"Right. I apologise, for my lack of understanding."

I felt my fingers pause over the keys again. "You know, I appreciate you trying to be a little more polite, but I think I liked you better when you were chewing my butt out for being in your room." I said, adding the air quotations on 'your room'. "At least you were a good temper to argue with."

He seemed almost satisfied with my conclusion. "I'm sorry to have been lax in my temperament. I'll make sure to throw something at you tonight."

I crossed my arms, turning the chair to face him again. "That's not what I meant. I meant you _can_ be sarcastic and moody. You don't have to sugar-coat everything because you think it'll scare me off. I don't scare easily, Mr. Motou, and I'm certainly not afraid of you."

"That's debateable." He smirked, seeing the tiniest hint of a lie behind my expressive eyes. I could kill my mother for passing them down to me. They were like a door to my soul. You could see everything.

"Don't you have children to scare or something?" I asked; glad to be irritated at him again. At least I didn't have to beat my hormones quite as harshly into submission.

* * *

"Anzu! Come down for dinner!"

I blinked warily. I hadn't realised I had fallen asleep. Looking around I noticed I was still seated at the computer- which explained the aching in my back- and Atem was nowhere to be found.

'_I hope he didn't take my question seriously.'_I mentally laughed, half-heartily.

Not wanting to try my parents' patience, I sprang from my chair and ran- if a little stiff- out the door and down the stairs. If there was one thing I learned throughout my life it was never keep my dad waiting for his dinner. I learned on past occasions that the man was cranky when he didn't get his food at a certain time, and well, I didn't want to be yelled at this evening.

The smell of teriyaki sauce and steak with vegetables filled the dining area as I seated myself on one of the cushioned mahogany chairs. Dad was already stabbing a slab of meat before my body even hit the chair.

"So," He said through a mouthful, "I heard you made some friends on your first day?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, Yuugi Motou and Ryou Bakura. They're really nice."

Takuma Mazaki seemed to be lost in thought before a smile spread across his face and he let a gruff laugh escape. "Well, Yuugi Motou, huh? His grandpa, I hear, owns the game shop downtown; sells Duel Monster cards. Wasn't that what your schoolmates back in Tokyo played?"

I nodded, taking a bite of vegetables.

Duel Monsters was a big fad in Tokyo right now, and apparently making its way through Domino. I had never been interested in it, but one of the kids I'd gotten to know- Marik, I think his name was- was really into it. He tried to teach me how to play, but it just never really was my thing. Like anything else not involving the dead.

After dinner, I helped Mom clean the dishes and made my way up to my room. I had to finish that report for Biology, but that was easy enough. Atem didn't bother me anymore. In fact, he didn't even make a sound even after I had climbed into bed and made sure my alarm was _on_ this time.

'_It better stay on.'_ Was my last thought before sleep found me.

* * *

**Tbc**

* * *

_Okay, so this probably isn't my best update. I'll re-write if you guys think I need to. Gah, my throat is killing me. I'm going to take some Nyquil and hit the hay. Leave me some reviews, if you please?_


	4. Revelations

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Here's the next update! I'm sorry the story is going slow; I actually had no idea where I was going with the plot until this chapter. So, things should speed up pretty soon. I would've had this up before Thanksgiving, but I was out at the lake and couldn't get on the internet. Sorry, for the wait!

Has anyone else noticed my use of puns? She says 'peachy' a lot. Anzu means 'peach' in Japanese. XD Well, it was funny to me...

Enjoy!

* * *

**4. Revelations**

_©Ethereal Fae, November 2008- December 2008_

* * *

I felt like I was being watched, so I burrowed deeper into the soft covers. I tried to ignore it, but the feeling wouldn't vanish, and finally I gave up. Opening my eyes, I realised why the feeling wouldn't dissipate. Atem was staring rather anxiously at me from beside the bed. His figure loomed over me in the darkness, and I did the only thing I could think of.

I shrieked.

"Sh! Anzu!"

"Oh my God, _what_ are you _doing_?" By now I had backed several inches away, my entire body rigid.

Atem's lips turned down in a scowl as he watched my reaction. "I was trying to wake you."

"By giving me cardiac arrest?" I fumed. "What do you want? What time is it?"

"It's five-thirty."

"Geez, Atem. What could you _possibly_ want at five in the morning?" I rubbed my eyes, sitting up.

"There's something I think you should see." He said, before walking over to the window.

I cursed as I stumbled out of bed. "This better be good." I grumbled.

I walked over to the window, plopping unceremoniously in the window seat. I shivered a little, and grabbed the blanket that was folded neatly on the seat, wrapping it around myself. I stared indignantly out the window, more for settling the spirit's nerves than curiosity. As far as I could tell, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary. There were some cars, probably coming home from graveyard shifts or leaving for early ones. A few house lights were on, but that was nothing suspicious.

"Seriously, what's the problem?" I asked, stumped. "Unless you just witnessed a murder or something, I'm going back to bed."

His brows furrowed, looking in the distance. I followed as he pointed, and took a sharp intake of breath.

"It depends on what you make of that?" He spoke softly.

There in the distance, standing proudly like the man who owned it, was KaibaCorp. It wouldn't have been a problem, except for every couple of seconds a light would fade in and out on random floors. Now, I wasn't about to jump to the conclusion that it had to be of some supernatural element, though that was the first thing my mind attached itself to.

I bit my lip. "Maybe...there's a short in the circuitry?"

"I highly doubt that." Atem's expression was grim, like he knew something more. I took the bait.

"What do you know about KaibaCorp? Is there any reason why it would be haunted?" I asked; my eyes still fixated on the flickering light.

Atem sighed heavily, racking his brain for some kind of lost memory. "I believe there was a story about the death of the previous CEO happening about ten years ago."

"Hmm." I said. This was definitely looking more and more like ghost involvement. I'd have to ask Dad if he'd heard anything later.

"What are you thinking?" Atem asked.

I yawned, getting up from the window. "I think I'll ask Dad if he knows anything tonight. I don't think its major enough I need to sneak into the building at the moment."

I definitely wasn't _that_ desperate yet. Last time I tried to sneak into a building to help a spirit find rest, the cops were on my mother's doorstep with me in handcuffs. Thankfully they didn't make a record of it, but they did give me a stern talking to about trespassing. The building was condemned a little over a year ago, so it wasn't like I was breaking and entering. No blood, no foul, they said- which was perfectly okay with me- though I couldn't say the same for my parents. They were beyond angry, not to mention humiliated at having their daughter escorted by two burly cops. I learned to stick to internet pictures and library books after that incident. Though I had the distinct feeling I'd be paying Seto Kaiba a visit in the near future.

Just peachy.

I crawled into bed and stared at the ceiling, waiting for my eyes to feel heavy. I watched Atem from my peripheral vision as he gazed out the window. Suddenly, a thought struck me.

"Hey, where were you last night?"

He met my gaze, a melancholy look in his dead eyes. "I was visiting family." I could hear bitter humour in his response. He must've seen the confusion in my eyes because he elaborated. "Domino Cemetery."

"Do you miss them?" I asked, turning my gaze back to the cracks in the ceiling.

"Yes."

"I-I'll help you." I said, softly.

He smiled. It was faint, but I saw it. "Sleep, Anzu. You must get up soon."

* * *

_Beep! Beep! Beep! Be—_

Effectively silencing the bane of my deep sleep, I snuggled deeper into the covers. Thirty more minutes couldn't hurt.

"Anzu. You have school." Of course Atem had to wake me up.

I gave the best answer I could with my lack of awareness, "G' way."

"I would, but you're in my room after all." The venom seemed to be missing in the statement this time around.

The covers were ripped from my huddled form so quickly I had to blink a few times before I realised what happened. The covers were hanging haphazardly off the end of the bed frame, exposing my bare legs to the morning chill. Of course I had to be wearing the most heinous flannel shorts of my entire pyjama collection, complete with a tattered jersey. I yanked the covers forcefully to cover myself and glared angrily at Atem. He grinned smugly at me from across the room, sitting languidly on my desk.

"Have you lost it?" I seethed.

"Not particularly, though I have been known to be a bit mental." I didn't see the humour in this situation. "Anzu, what's the difference between now and a couple of hours ago? They're just pyjamas."

"Yeah, well...it was...dark. You couldn't see me that well." I finished lamely.

"Believe me, Anzu, I would not have done such a thing if I had the slightest idea you were indecent." He crossed his arms, the smirk widening and I scowled. "You kick in your sleep. I had to pick the covers up several times for you." He finished.

I didn't know what should bother me more; the fact that he watches me in my sleep or the fact that he had enough concern for me to pick my covers off the floor each time. I went for the first point.

"You watch me in my sleep?" I asked incredulously.

"Sometimes."

"That's kind of creepy." I said, getting up from the bed. I might as well start getting ready.

Unfortunately, I couldn't skip school no matter how much I wanted to. If I didn't go, Mom would assume I'd had a freak encounter and send us packing, again. If I had known two years ago, I wouldn't have told her about the dead girl stalking the halls and I'd still be in Hokkaido.

I tripped over the blankets and stumbled my way into the bathroom. I shut the door and locked it, not really needing to, but doing so all the same. It wasn't like a lock was going to stop a ghost from coming in, but at least the intent was there. I hoped Atem was at least smart enough to give a girl some privacy.

I tossed my pyjamas in the hamper and stepped into the warm spray of the shower. I stood there, just letting the water roll off me, as the bathroom became steamy. Finally deciding I was awake, I grabbed my favourite shampoo from its place on the tub ledge and lathered my hair. It smelled like peaches.

"Are you going to address your father about KaibaCorp tonight?"

The question from Atem broke the calm so suddenly, I jumped and slipped in the shower; my shoulder slammed quite uncomfortably into the tile wall.

"Anzu? Are you alright?" He asked. Was he outside the door? _'How...considerate.'_

"Oof, yeah. I just killed my shoulder." I replied.

He laughed deeply. "I'll leave you to get ready."

When my shower was done, I changed into my uniform. I had never really taken the time to actually examine the thing thoroughly. So, this time I did. It was a hideous Pepto-Bismol pink jacket paired with a pleated powder blue skirt that was really unflattering on someone with hips like mine. The socks were cute. They were the big, wool ones that fit snugly over the ugly penny loafer-type shoes. The giant blue bow on the front of the jacket stuck out, and made my face look small in comparison. I wondered briefly who the designer was of this thing. Obviously these uniforms hadn't seen an upgrade since the eighties.

Not wanting to spend anymore wasted eyesight on the despicable uniform, I returned to the bathroom to fix my hair and apply a subtle amount of makeup. I did the usual; drying my hair into its natural straightness, the ends just barely brushing my shoulders. The makeup was simple: Mascara and a bit of clear lip-gloss.

When I walked downstairs, Mom was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and Dad was reading the paper.

"Morning Mom; Dad." I said cheerily, sitting at the table. I grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl.

Mom smiled. "Morning, Dear." Then she saw my breakfast. "You need a real breakfast." She said disapprovingly.

"I'm fine." I said.

"Hey, Anzu. I didn't know Seto Kaiba went to your school." Dad said into his paper.

I blinked. "Neither did I." _'So maybe I could ask him about the lights...' _"I haven't seen him at school." I continued.

"It says here, he's opening some amusement park in America, he'll be back by the end of the week." He turned a page. "Hard to believe a kid could be running a company..."

I grinned slyly. "Even harder to believe he's your boss." Dad met my gaze with a don't-remind-me kind of look. "Speaking of which..." I glided into the subject casually. "How_ is_ work?"

Dad put his paper down. "It's a pain in the keister; but it pays well, so that's good enough."

It wasn't the answer I was expecting, but it interested me. "Why do you say that?" He even had Mom's attention now.

"He's got a smart mouth on him." He grumbled. "And a God complex." He added as an afterthought.

"I thought he was in America..."

"He calls every dadgum hour; paranoia. One of my co-workers said his last Board tried to take over the company and ever since then, he's been real skiddish about leaving the building to others."

"So work must get pretty...interesting?" I asked slowly. Mom's head whipped in my direction.

"Honey, is there something going on, because you know you can always talk to me..."

"Himeko, relax." Dad laid his hand on Mom's. "The kid's just curious." He turned back to me once he was sure Mom wouldn't have a nervous breakdown.

Dad must've been looking at the clock because he suddenly was up and pulling me along as well. "Come on, Anzu. You're going to be late again. I'll take you by on the way to work."

"Bye Mom!" I yelled as I was being tugged out the door.

* * *

"So what's _really_ going on, Dad?" I asked, sitting in the truck as we drove into town.

Dad was the only person that seemed to be okay with my...ability. He was the one I could talk to when things went downhill and was a great listener despite not having any experience- at least from my perspective- when I felt the weight getting heavier on my shoulders.

"The place is haunted." He said, bluntly. I really wasn't expecting the bluntness.

"You're sure?" I asked.

"Positive."

I bit my lip. "What happens?"

"Things get thrown, files go missing; poltergeist stuff, Anzu. Seto Kaiba won't admit it, but I can tell he's unnerved. Co-worker says it's been happening for about ten years, get's worse every year. I was thinking maybe you could come by and..."

I blanched. "And what, Dad? Tell him I can help him because I see and talk to dead people? That would land me in a psych ward." I said, staring out the window. _'Ten years...'_

We pulled up to the school, but I wasn't excited about seeing Yuugi and Ryou anymore. My mood was soured by this new revelation, and I was afraid of the boys getting involved in this if things didn't go right.

"Just think about it." He pleaded as I grabbed my bag and slammed the door. He rolled the window down when I came to his side of the car.

"Fine." I gave in and headed into the school.

* * *

"Is Anzu okay? She's been quiet today."

"I don't know. Should we ask her?"

We were at lunch. I was nibbling silently on my food, brooding about the ghost at KaibaCorp. _'If there's a ghost.'_ I thought.

"I'm okay, guys." I said without looking up from my plate. I saw them flinch from the corner of my eye. Geez, did I sound that upset?

"If you need to talk about anything..." Yuugi left the sentence hanging.

"I'm fine." I lied. I got up briskly, dumping my tray. That's when I saw _him_.

Bakura was leaning against the opposite wall across the cafeteria, a lecherous grin on his face as he watched my movements. I scowled and blew him a raspberry. A few students at nearby tables looked at me strangely, but I didn't care. I was stressed out with Atem, and Bakura and now I might have another ghost on my hands. A sixteen year old could only handle so much! To add the icing to this very screwed up cake, Ryou was staring at me hard. The expression on that gentle face was foreign to me.

When the bell rang and the cafeteria was emptying, I told Yuugi to go ahead. I wanted to wait for Ryou.

"Anzu?" Ryou's voice was calm as he approached me. I walked with him down the halls.

We were in a comfortable silence; he glanced curiously at me as we stopped in front of Biology. I met Yuugi's gaze from inside the classroom as he waited patiently for me at our lab table. Turning back to Ryou, his eyes stared intently at me. It was as if he was assessing me. I felt like an amoeba under a microscope, being observed and contained.

I had expected one of them to approach me about my behaviour today, but what I hadn't expected was Ryou's next statement.

"You see ghosts."

* * *

**tbc**

* * *

_Ooo, a cliffhanger! XD Nobody smite me. Review please?_


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